Nick’s Top In 2014

In all honesty, I wanted to put “Problem” by Ariana Grande in every blank, but there were things called “rules” and “guidelines” and “the fear that everyone would make fun of me” and they killed my vibe. So fine, society. You win. Here you go.

2014 will go down in the history books as the year that I started to become disenchanted with most pop punk. As much as I love Gospel, I don’t think releasing that album today would snare my interest at all. That’s why I was so happy with Oh, Common Life. It showed that Fireworks is bigger than the scene that they have been trapped in. It’s a dark record that is not afraid to embrace its poppiness, all while maintaining the introspective messages that Fireworks fans have come to know and love.

Being released so early in the year would certainly put a lesser album at a disadvantage when it comes to these lists, but there was no denying Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Every facet of the record, from Laura Jane Grace’s journey to the tumultuous recording process, gives it a weight of importance. The blistering snark and infectious hooks meld together to make the best record of Against Me!’s career.

A folky, country-tinged record is just about the last thing I would expect to be one of my favorites of the year. But Dan Campbell once again found a way to draw me in. The storytelling is so engrossing and heartbreaking, and the constant introduction of new sounds makes it one of the most unique releases I listened to this year. If this record taught me anything, it’s to always trust Soupy. All hail Soupy.

2. Xerxes – Collision Blonde

When Xerxes’ first record made my EOTY list in 2012, I noticed many stylistic similarities between it and Pianos Become The Teeth’s The Lack Long After. Now, in 2014, Pianos have moved in a far different direction, and while I thoroughly enjoyed that, the moves the Xerxes made while staying in the same vein produced an incredible album. The anger and aggression are palpable as you listen, and the strange curveballs the band throws in keep everything fresh and engaging, adding up to an abrasive masterpiece.

1. The Hotelier – Home, Like Noplace Is There

Apologies to everything else that came out after February 25th, but they never really had a chance. One listen in and I knew that this was a special record. In a year that saw the #emorevival explosion, The Hotelier managed to stand head and shoulders above the crowd. There hasn’t been a record that has spoken to me in such a way in a very long time, with its dynamic sounds and soul-baring lyrics. In 2014, nothing came close to the impact that Home, Like Noplace Is There made on me.